What Verde Technologies does

Verde Environmental Technologies, Inc. (DBA: Deterra), founded in 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, develops and sells the Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal System — a patented, activated-carbon-based product line that renders prescription and OTC medications (opioids, fentanyl, benzodiazepines, stimulants, patches, liquids, creams, and films) irreversibly non-retrievable for safe disposal in normal household or institutional trash. The technology, originally developed under two NIDA SBIR contracts (Phase 1 N43DA-13-4420 in 2013 and Phase 2 N44DA-14-4420 in 2014), is protected by seven U.S. patents (including 8,535,711, 8,979,724, and 12,544,813) and 19 international patents, and has been independently validated by Mercer University's College of Pharmacy and in multiple peer-reviewed publications, demonstrating greater than 99% drug deactivation within 24-28 days. SKUs span Small, Medium, and Large pouches, Liquids Only and Multi-Purpose containers (1.0 and 2.5 gallon), Lockboxes, wall mounts, accessories, and Spanish-language instructions, with bio-based sugarcane-derived polyethylene packaging produced using 100% wind-generated power.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Consumer sales flow through Amazon in packs of three, while enterprise and government revenue runs through a direct B2B sales team, the order.deterrasystem.com business portal, an authorized distributor network led by McKesson Medical-Surgical, and the 2026 Inmar Intelligence co-branded distribution partnership. Its largest accessible TAM is the >$50 billion in opioid settlement funds nationwide, plus SAMHSA, BJA, HRSA, and American Rescue Plan grants, which Deterra has actively positioned its products and the full-service Household Mailing Program to capture. Pricing is quote-based for B2B case quantities and the Household Mailing Program; Amazon B2C is unit-priced. The company is privately held and founder-owned, has 1-10 employees, holds the exclusive endorsements of both CADCA (its first and only endorsement in 30+ years) and the DEA Educational Foundation (its first and only endorsement ever), and is the recipient of multiple sustainability and packaging industry awards from the Business Intelligence Group, Stevie, SEAL, the Flexible Packaging Association, and PAC Global between 2021 and 2026.

Name

Verde Technologies

Legal name

Verde Environmental Technologies, Inc.

Website

https://deterrasystem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Verde Technologies, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Minneapolis, manufactures the Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal System — patented activated-carbon pouches and containers that permanently render prescription medications non-retrievable. It sells to hospitals, government agencies, and consumers through direct B2B sales, Amazon, McKesson Medical-Surgical, and Inmar Intelligence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drug deactivation systems

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Waste Treatment and Disposal (5622), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro primary industry

Pharmaceutical Waste Management (RCRA/Non-RCRA, Take-Back) (BPALAGAF)

Keywords

• Drug deactivation systems
• Medication disposal products
• Pharmaceutical waste management
• Activated carbon disposal
• At-home drug disposal

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Deterra Products — Pouches, Containers, Accessories, Lockboxes: Verde Environmental Technologies generates revenue primarily through the sale of physical Deterra drug deactivation products. Product lines include Small/Medium/Large pouches (sold by case to businesses; packs of 3 to consumers on Amazon), multi-purpose and liquids-only containers, wall mounts, lockboxes, and custom labeling/accessories. Consumer purchases are one-time transactions via Amazon; B2B purchases are typically case quantities through the business portal or via distributor relationships.
2. Household Mailing Program: Organizations (government agencies, healthcare systems, nonprofits, coalitions) purchase turnkey household mailing campaigns where Deterra pouches are co-branded with custom postcards and mailed directly to households. This adds a service/professional services component to the product sale — including list targeting, postcard design, HIPAA-compliant production, and mailing coordination — on top of the underlying product purchase.
3. Opioid Settlement Fund & Grant-Funded Purchases: Deterra products qualify as fundable expenses under opioid settlement funds ($50B+ nationwide), SAMHSA State Opioid Response Grants, SAMHSA Tribal Opioid Response Grants, BJA Comprehensive Opioid/SUsP grants, HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response grants, American Rescue Plan Fiscal Recovery Funds, and hospital benefit dollars. Revenue flows indirectly through government and institutional procurement channels funded by these programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Verde's core offering is the Deterra Drug Deactivation and Disposal System, a family of pouches (Small, Medium, Large), containers (Multi-Purpose 1.0 and 2.5 Gallon and Liquids Only), and lockboxes that use a proprietary activated-carbon matrix to permanently deactivate pills, liquids, patches, and films for at-home or institutional disposal. The product line is rounded out by a Household Mailing Program that lets individuals mail unused medications to a licensed disposal processor.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Deterra SP (Small Pouch): Small-sized drug deactivation pouch capable of deactivating up to 15 pills, 2 oz of liquid, or 2 patches per unit. Units per case: 250. SKU: 7001-CASE.
• Deterra MP (Medium Pouch)
• Deterra LP (Large Pouch)
• Deterra Liquids Only Container (1.0 Gallon)
• Deterra Multi-Purpose Container (1.0 Gallon)
• Deterra Multi-Purpose Container (2.5 Gallon)
• Deterra Lock Box
• Deterra Household Mailing Program
• Deterra Direct Medium Pouch

Products and services

• Deterra Pouches (Small, Medium, Large) Single-use pouches filled with proprietary activated-carbon matrix for permanently deactivating pills, tablets, patches, liquids, and films at home or in institutional settings.
• Deterra Multi-Purpose Container (1.0 and 2.5 Gallon) Reusable tabletop or wall-mounted containers preloaded with activated-carbon deactivation pouches for higher-volume institutional drug disposal.
• Deterra Liquids Only Container Specialized deactivation container engineered for safely disposing of liquid medications.
• Deterra Lockbox Secure receptacle designed to hold Deterra products and provide controlled, lockable in-house drug disposal for institutions.
• Deterra Household Mailing Program Mail-back drug disposal service that lets individuals send unused medications to a licensed disposal partner (Inmar) for safe destruction, billed as a service program.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 99% drug deactivation achieved within 24–28 days (Nature 2020; Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy 2018; Pharmaceutics 2016)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Inmar IntelligencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Inmar Intelligence partnered with Deterra to deliver the Inmar Drug Deactivation and Disposal System, Powered by Deterra, to healthcare organizations nationwide. The partnership expands access to harm reduction tools for healthcare facilities and community programs, combining Inmar's healthcare supply chain reach with Deterra's activated carbon deactivation technology.
• Accredo Packaging, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationAccredo Packaging partnered with Deterra to engineer the Deterra pouch for reliable seal and leak-proof performance while advancing sustainability goals. The package utilizes bio-based polyethylene derived from sugarcane, reducing reliance on fossil-fuel plastics. This partnership was recognized with the 2026 PAC Global Award of Distinction for Technical Package Design.
• CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDeterra is the only product CADCA has endorsed in its 30+ year history. CADCA and Deterra co-launch prevention initiatives including the 'Over the Dose Challenge' to raise awareness about unused prescription drugs and promote safe disposal. CADCA provides endorsement citing Deterra's strong scientific backing and proven effectiveness.
• DEA Educational FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDeterra is the only product the DEA Educational Foundation has ever endorsed. The foundation endorses Deterra for safe destruction of unused medications, citing Deterra's strong scientific backing and proven effectiveness as reasons for endorsement.
• Governor's Prevention Partnership (GPP)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGPP partnered with Deterra to launch a mailer program helping Connecticut households safely dispose of unused medications. Suffield, CT became the first Connecticut town to send Deterra drug deactivation pouches to every household through this partnership.
• National Association of Counties (NACO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNACO partners with Deterra to support county governments in accessing safe drug disposal solutions. Deterra participates in the NACo Annual Conference to connect with county officials nationwide.
• National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNWRA partners with Deterra as part of its Healthcare Waste Institute network, supporting environmental and public safety through proper medication disposal. Deterra is recognized as a sustainable alternative to traditional pharmaceutical waste methods.
• Healthcare Waste Institute (HWI)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHWI, a member network of the NWRA, partners with Deterra to support healthcare waste and diversion prevention through eco-friendly medication disposal solutions.
• Goldfinch HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGoldfinch Health partners with Deterra to support broader health outcomes and medication management initiatives.
• Emergent BioSolutions (manufacturer of NARCAN Nasal Spray)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmergent BioSolutions (maker of NARCAN) partners with Deterra at the intersection of healthcare and public safety, supporting overdose prevention and harm reduction through complementary product offerings.
• McKesson Medical-SurgicalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMcKesson Medical-Surgical is the primary named authorized distributor serving healthcare organizations with Deterra products. Deterra products are available through select distributors serving healthcare, government, and other industries.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) / NIHcoreOthersDeterra's technology was developed under two NIDA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts: Phase 1 (N43DA-13-4420) and Phase 2 (N44DA-14-4420), titled 'In-home Deactivation System for Psychoactive Drugs.' NIDA is a division of the NIH and provided the foundational federal research funding.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Stericycle: Stericycle is a large, established medical and pharmaceutical waste management company offering regulated pickup, transport, and disposal services. While not focused on at-home deactivation like Deterra, it competes for hospital pharmaceutical waste budgets and is a logical incumbent partner or acquirer.
• Sharps Compliance: Sharps Compliance provides medical waste and pharmaceutical disposal solutions, including mail-back and take-back programs. It overlaps with Deterra's Household Mailing Program and hospital discharge use cases as a broader waste-management incumbent.
• Daniels Health: Daniels Health is an established medical waste services company offering pharmaceutical and sharps waste solutions to hospitals and healthcare systems globally. It competes for healthcare pharmaceutical waste spend that Deterra's pouch programs also target.

Others

• McKesson Medical-Surgical: McKesson Medical-Surgical is Verde's primary authorized distributor serving healthcare customers with Deterra products. As a major medical supply wholesaler, it is an ecosystem partner (not a competitor) that provides distribution scale Verde could not otherwise reach.
• Inmar Intelligence: Inmar Intelligence is a supply chain and reverse-distribution company that in April 2026 partnered with Deterra to deliver the Inmar Drug Deactivation and Disposal System. As a healthcare logistics incumbent, it is an enabling partner that materially expands Deterra's healthcare reach rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• DisposeRx: DisposeRx manufactures at-home drug deactivation powder packets that, when mixed with water and unused medication, create a viscous gel rendering drugs irretrievable. It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to Deterra pouches, competing on similar pharmacy, hospital, and government distribution channels.
• Rx Destroyer: Rx Destroyer (by C2R Global Manufacturing) produces pharmaceutical waste disposal products including drug deactivation pouches and containers for hospitals, long-term care, and law enforcement. Competes with Deterra in the same healthcare and government drug disposal procurement channels.
• Drug Buster: Drug Buster offers drug deactivation pouch products competing for the same hospital, pharmacy, and law enforcement customers as Deterra. The company's own comparative materials position Deterra favorably on plastic content and efficacy versus Drug Buster.
• C2R Global Manufacturing: C2R Global Manufacturing produces the Rx Destroyer line of drug disposal pouches, containers, and related products. It is a direct competitor to Deterra across healthcare, long-term care, and law enforcement drug disposal procurement.
• NarcX: NarcX provides liquid-based drug destruction solutions used primarily by law enforcement and first responders to neutralize controlled substances in the field. It is a direct competitor in the law enforcement and government drug disposal channel alongside Deterra's powder/carbon approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/deterrasystem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verde-technologies
• Instagraminstagram.com/deterrasystem
• Xx.com/deterrasystem

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Verde Technologies